UPDATE: Two arrested in GA church vandalism

Mug shots
Nathaniel E. Rabideau, 19, and Tyler A. Casey, 19, are charged with burglary, criminal damage to property and vandalism to a place of worship.

A Georgia teen charged with vandalism of a church apologized to the pastor in person before turning himself in to police, according to a report from WSB Television. Nathaniel Rabideau, 19, is one of two charged in the vandalism of the Seed Planters Church in McDonough, Georgia.

Rabideau and his accused accomplice, Tyler Casey, 19, of Monroe, of Monroe, Ga, are set to appear in court on Monday on charges of burglary, criminal damage to property and vandalism to a place of worship.

According to 11alive television, the damage was done on March 19 and included Satanic messages spray-painted on the church building walls, a kicked-in door and broken windows.

Pastor Daunta Long told Fox4atlanta that the congregation has been making repairs and plans an Easter Sunday service in the building.  The TV station’s article includes photos of the damage.

The church plans to install a state-of-the-art security system to deter future damage to the building, according to WMAZ.

Symbols of Satan spray-painted inside GA church building

2018-03-23 Church Vandalism

Police are investigating vandalism at the Seed Planters Church in McDonough, GA in which someone painted pentagrams and other symbols of Satan inside the church building, according to a report from Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper.

The vandalism was discovered Monday evening. Fox5Atlanta reports someone pried open a rear door and ransacked the sanctuary.  They painted a demon head with the number 666 on several walls.

The pastor said the congregation is cleaning up the mess and they plan to have services at the church building on Easter Sunday.

A motive for the vandalism has not been determined. Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call the McDonough Police Department at 770-957-1218.

Titusville, FL sees rash of church vandalism

Police and sheriff’s deputies in the Titusville, Florida area call a rash of break-ins and vandalism at churches in the area an epidemic, according to a report from WESH television. The TV station says at least seven churches have been targeted. The station posted a video report to YouTube.

Destruction done by the vandals includes graffiti referencing Satan, broken furniture and instruments and broken windows. Damage at First Presbyterian Church was estimated in the tens of thousands.

The motive of the vandal or vandals is not known.  No other information has been released by law enforcement.

Ohio church celebrates 200 years

2018-03-16 Historic church photo

An Atwater, Ohio church is celebrating its 200th anniversary.  The congregation will mark the two-century mark with a special service on Sunday. According to a Facebook event listing, the celebration will include Heritage Fifes and Drums and an Abraham Lincoln impersonator.

The church was established March 21, 1818. To put this in perspective, this was 43 years before the start of the civil war and only 15 years after the Louisiana Purchase.

The church will display a hand-written copy of the congregation’s dedication sermon from 1841 when the building was completed, according to an article in the Record Courier newspaper.

Police hate crime section investigating Long Island church vandalism

Police in Manorville, Long Island have not yet determined a vandal’s motive for smashing out the face of a statue of Jesus at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Island Church.

2018-03-15 Statue damaged on Long IslandThe vandalism happened between Saturday evening and Sunday morning.  A report from ABC7 says investigators have not yet determined if the incident is a hate crime. The news outlet said the Suffolk County Police Hate Crime Section is, “taking a closer look” into the incident.

“Come and talk, if you want to talk about your issues with God or with the church…We’ve been praying. We’ve even been praying for the perpetrator, that hopefully he will convert and change his ways in life,” said Rev. Roy Tvrdik to News12 Long Island.

Police ask anyone with information about the vandalism to call Suffolk Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.